If somebody might ask me when visiting in Finland, in what place I suggest to him / her to visit, me answer would be: Visit Langinkoski, the Imperial Fishing Lodge. The Imperial Fishing Lodge is situated in the town of Kotka. Driving by car one can reach it in one and half of hour. This place is visited yearly by visitors who are coming from over 30 countries from all over the world.

It is amazing to see how modestly the Imperial family lived in Finland, when thinking that they had glorious palaces in Russia. To me this shows that they were also “human beings”. The Imperial family spent here two weeks’ vacation in the beginning of July. Vacation meant for example that the Emperor himself chopped firewood himself and bore water in the kitchen. The empress loved cooking, but not washing of dishes. So I might to say that the “kingdom the Empress” was her kitchen. Lovely.

I love that place. I have been there four times in my life. Every time this place startle me. The beauty of nature and the fishing lodge full of history of Russian Imperial family Alexander III of Russia, emperor of Russia and Grand Duke of Finland.

Our history has passed under foreign rulers. From 1300–1809 we were under the nomination of Sweden. From 1809–1917, we were under Russian domination, but we had autonomy. In 1917 we declared our independence. All the time we had our own language, which is one of the most difficult languages in the world.

Alexander III of Russia (1845-1894) was a sovereign who seemed to love Finland. He visited in our country many of times and he enjoyed himself here. He loved fishing and he had heard about good salmon fishing place at Langinkoski. The imperial family arrived at Langinkoski in 1880. The emperor liked the place. The construction of Fishing Lodge started in 1888 and is was completed in 1889. Thus, it served as their summer house in Finland.

Nowadays the Imperial Fishing Lodge is a museum. Now You have a possibility to take a virtual tour with me there through my photos.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

What a treasure that lodge is! I love wood, and the inside of the lodge has such a wonderful warm look to it. The samovar in photo #20 is incredibly beautiful as is the kitchen. What a place it must have been when the Imperial family was there! I am an avid fisherman myself and I would have loved to hear some of the Emperor’s stories!

Thank You. The place is fantastic. The lodge has lovely surroundings at river Kymi nearby the town of Kotka. I let my imagination to fly a little when saying this way: I think that I could easily imagine You and the Emperor fish there side by side fishing! 🙂 Samovar is indeed one of the most beautiful I have seen. I am so glad that You liked this post of mine.

LOL this is how the Royals go “camping”. That kitchen is masses bigger than mine and it even has a magnificent fish kettle! I’m very impressed.
Isn’t that fireplace amazing? I’ve never seen one that looks like that… and the large crown “thing” that is an ornament maybe? it’s strangely out of keeping when you compare with the plain wood and simple features of the rest of the lodge.
In one of the bedroom photos there is an arched annex window, the place where the roof comes down has been carved into the most beautiful curves to compliment it.. it’s an astonishing bit of craftsmanship.
Brilliant to see that the Emperor chopped the wood for the fire and the Empress cooked meals, nice to see that they weren’t above at least a small amount of domestic labour on occasion.

Thank You commenting. I think the large crown “thing” is the coat of arms of the grand duchy of Finland, but not sure. The Plans and interior were made by Magnus Schjerfbeck (1860-1933) and Johan Jacob Ahrenberg (1847-1914). My mother’s maiden name was also Ahrenberg. It was so nice that You found interest towards this post.

You’re right — this is a beautiful lodge — rustic but in an ideal setting. I can see why the emperor liked to come here. I would certainly enjoy spending a summer’s vacation in this wonderful place. Your photos are excellent.

You are right: This is a very beautiful old wooden house full of atmosphere. And I understand the Emperor’s love for this cozy place, here he must have been able to feel, that he was also an ordinary human being!

Very interesting building indeed!
I love wooden buildings, they blend so well into the environment.
And I just love the smell of wood.
I’m surprised to see a big fireplace in the living room – it must be cold in Finland in the summer too.
Did the emperor also visit the lodge in other times other than summer?!

Thank You for commenting. I am so glad that You found this place interesting. Well, fireplace in the living room. I think that during summer time it is just to give atmosphere. Of course if the Emperor decided to visit there during fall, winter or spring, then it would have been necessary. I do not know if the Emperor visited his lodge in other times than summer. That I know that he visited in our country in many places.

About our summer. Well, it is cold or not cold, depending where one is living and in which kind of weather he is used to live. From June to August (including them), our temperature varies from 20 ºC up to 33 ºC / 68 ºF up to 91.4 ºF. Last summer the max temperature was 37.2 ºC / 98.96 ºF. That was the record ever we have had here.

What comes to fireplaces, I start to warm it in the beginning of October and ending in the mid March. Not every day, but any how. Why so early? Well the reason is the price of electricity. The price is in “heavens”, but firewood is not so expensive. Moreover, the fireplace heat is more pleasant than that gained by the electricity. Our fireplace is so called capacitive fireplace. Also once a week Sauna is giving pleasant and additional “after warm”. Next week on Friday I’ll present two Saunas, so stay on “lines”.

here in the tropics. most fishing happens out at sea, not in rivers. so i couldn’t compare any fishing lodges to this one. But I find it quite unassuming… pretty quiet. probably just how the royalty wanted it. i loved the lamps in the cottage. i guess at night they would give a warm glow that would be so comfortable and relaxing. lovely set!

Thank You commenting. “Unassuming”, well that it is just as You said. In Russia they were surrounded by “gold and richness” and to live modestly was good counterweight to their daily life. This is only my opinion, but I can compare it that what happens here. Many families have their well-equipped houses in cities, but every summer and maybe every weekend they go to the countryside to their summer cottages. There they can enjoy the beauty of pure nature and to feel being part of it. Few years these summer cottages were very basic, but nowadays they are well equipped, but not luxurious. Some of course are.

Sometimes it is good to change landscape and to have different perspective to the world by which we are surrounded by.

To have a different look about summer cottages, then they a look at the summer cottage which we rented some years ago:

I hope that You see the difference between historic fishing lodge and modern summer cottages, because they both serve same idea: To hear man’s own thoughts, enjoy the beauty of nature, to enjoy privacy and having some distance from our daily routines etc.